MUMBAI: Pandemic aside, the aviation industry has already run into rough weather again with another airborne concern, this time it’s 5G mobile phone service deployment in the US. Concerned over 5G transmissions interfering with aircraft ‘radio altimeters’, the US aviation regulator has issued directives which impose severe operational restrictions on aircraft flying close to 5G wireless ground transmission stations.
Among the impacted airlines would be Air India, the only Indian carrier that operates to the US. It also operates these routes with US-manufactured aircraft and so would come under the ambit of these directives.
In India, 5G testing is on and air safety experts say these shouldn’t be carried out near airports or areas where aircraft descend low.
